Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991) is an American musical icon, whose influence on both jazz and popular music over a span of 40 years could quite legitimately be regarded as unparalleled in the annals of post-World War II Western music. His earlier work defined “cool” jazz and produced -- among many things -- the best-selling jazz album of all time, 1959’s Kind of Blue. Its infectious, timeless, relaxed swing makes it a top seller still to this day. Never content to stand still, Davis pushed the musical boundaries in the later 1960s with a freer, more modal approach to jazz with the group that has come to be known as his Second Great Quintet, with Herbie Hancock on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Ron Carter on bass and the beyond-incredible Tony Williams on drums. (Davis asked Williams to join the group when Tony was just 17 after hearing him play in Boston.) As the 1960s flowed into the 1970s, Davis changed musical directions yet again and exercised...(Read Full Article)